General

What follows is a rules package that incorporates the most recent Europa developments into Leningrad: 1941. When playing the -state-of-the-art" game these rules take precedence where different from the Scorched Earth rules.

Almost all counters necessary for playing the state-of-the-art" game are available in FitE/SE. The only counter not available from FitE/SE is a German railroad engineer brigade available from First to Fight.

Rule 5-Zones of Control (addition)

A unit with a ZOC may temporarily lose its ZOC, depending upon certain activities. For example, a unit which uses administrative movement (Rule 6B) loses its ZOC. When a unit undertakes such an activity, it loses its ZOC as specified in the rule. A unit which loses its ZOC does not have a ZOC for any game purpose until it regains its ZOC.

Rule 6B. Administrative Movement (modification).

A unit using admin. movement is restricted:

• It may not spend MPs for any purpose except admin. movement, rail movement, or naval transport.
• If it has a ZOC, it loses its ZOC for the entire movement phase.
• It may not start or move adjacent to an enemy unit during the entire movement phase in which it uses admin. movement.
• It may move only in clear terrain hexes or along roads or unblown bridges/causeways.
• It may not enter an enemy-owned hex.

Rule 7A1. Rail Movement. (modification)

If a unit moves by rail:

• It may not move along rail hexes not friendly owned at the start of the player turn unless the rail hexes have been cleared (see Rule 14A4).
• If it has a ZOC, it loses its ZOC from the instant it starts to move by rail to the end of its rail movement.
• There is no MP cost to entrain.

Note: A unit only counts against rail capacity once per turn, even if it made separate rail moves during its turn. Example: An infantry division moves by rail, then moves overland to another rail line, and then moves by rail again. It counts as 3 REs against the player's rail capacity.

Rule 9C. Combat Results. (change)

AS: Attacker Stopped. The attack is inconclusive; neither side takes losses or retreats.

Rule 14 - Special Unit Types

A. Engineers.

1. Construction (change). During the movement phase, a construction unit may build a temporary airfield in any clear or rough hex except one already containing any airfield. The unit must be in supply, and the airfield costs 6 MPs to build.

2. Combat Engineers (change). When at least 1fl of the REs attacking a major city, fortress, fortified area, or fort are combat engineers, the combat resolution die roll is modified by +1.

4. German Railroad (RR) Engineers (change). A railroad engineer unit may regauge a rail line, changing the gauge from broad to standard. If a rail line is broken, it must be repaired before it can be regauged. It costs a RR engineer regiment 4 MPs (8 MPs in mud weather) to repair a rail hex. The cost is halved (2 MPs in clear, 4 MPs in mud weather) for a RR engineer brigade.

A RR engineer unit must be in supply to regauge a rail hex. It costs a RR engineer regiment 1 MP (2 MPs in mud weather) to regauge a rail hex. The cost is halved (1/2 MP in clear, 1 MP in mud weather) for a RR engineer brigade. RR engineer units always regauge to standard gauge.

RR engineer units may demolish the rail in a hex at an accelerated rate. A RR engineer pays only 1 MP to demolish the rail in a hex regardless of weather.

Special. Clearing the Rails.

Normally, units may only use rail movement along rail hexes they own at the start of their initial phase. However, if a RR engineer unit moves by either normal or administrative ground movement along a connected (to previously-owned rail hexes) stretch of standard-gauge rail hexes not previously owned, that stretch of rail hexes may also be used for rail movement that turn by other friendly units.

Rule 17- Airbases

A. Capacity (change). The capacity of temporary airfields is 3.

Rule 19 - Opportunity Intercept (replacement rule)

A. General. Each operative fighter air unit at an airbase (i.e., not flying a mission) has a patrol zone. The patrol zone of an Axis fighter covers every hex within one half the range (rounded down) of the exerting fighter. For example, an Me 109E (range of 7) has a patrol zone extending out to 3 hexes The patrol zone of a Soviet fighter covers every hex within 2 hexes of the exerting fighter.

B. Terms Defined.

1. Mission Force. Normally, air units move individually. However, all air units that have assembled at an assembly point (see Section 2 below) may move together as a stack. A stack of such air units is termed a mission force. A mission force may gain or lose air units along its flight path to its target hex as described below.

2. Assembly Point. An assembly point is any hex that the phasing player first declares his intention, then moves two or more air units into with the purpose of assembling into a mission force. Air units in the same hex are not required to assemble, but they may not move together unless they do. A mission force may have any number of assembly points along its flight path, thus allowing it to absorb air units along its route. Notes: 1) Although it will not usually be required, players may sometimes have to record movement-point expenditures of individual air units within a mission force. 2) A target hex is always considered to be an assembly point for all friendly air units entering it. Thus, all friendly cvir units that find themselves in the same target hex at the end of the air movement step are considered to be part of the same mission force.

3. Close Escort. A close escort is a friendly fighter unit on an escort mission (Rule 20C) that is part of a mission force. Its purpose is to protect the mission force from enemy interceptors. A close escort is not required to remain with its mission force all the way to the target. It may fly as far as desired (owning player's choice) up to the limit of its range, then return to base at that point. However, a fighter may not close escort more than one mission force per air phase.

C. Procedure. Fighters may make opportunity interceptions during the enemy player's air movement step. When an enemy air unit or mission force takes off from or enters any hex in the patrol zone of a fighter, the enemy air unit or mission force is subject to opportunity interception. If the non-phasing player declares an opportunity intercept, the phasing player temporarily halts movement in that hex.

The intercepting player then moves any or all eligible interceptors into the hex containing the enemy air unit or mission force being opportunity intercepted. Air combat (Rule 21) is then performed as normal with the following modifications:

1) A close escort is not required to return fire if fired upon, or otherwise engage in air combat-it may elect to "avoid combat". This must be declared by the owning player after air combat preparation but prior to air combat resolution. However, in all cases, if a close escort fires in air combat (owning player's choice), it can no longer accompany the mission force and must return to base.

2) Adverse air combat results are applied immediately. Units of the mission force (except close escorts that fired in air combat) may continue towards the target if they receive a no result.

3) Opportunity interceptors return to base during the interceptor return step.

4) Fighters flying bombing missions which jettison their bombs become close escorts.

Example: An Axis mission force consisting of two Me 109Fs close escorting three Ju 88As enters a hex in the patrol zone of three Soviet I-16s, which declare opportunity interception. The I-16s move to the intercept hex and initiate air combat against the Axis mission force which chooses not to abandon its mission. Two I-16s attempt to bypass and the other 1-16 is allocated against one of the Me 109F close escorts.

The unengaged Me 109F wishes to continue flying close escort for the mission force, and so avoids combat. The other decides to fire back at the interceptor engaging it. The 1-16 allocated against the Me 109F fires and gets a "-" result; the Me 109F returns fire and gets a "K" against the I-16. Even though unaffected by the air combat, this Me 109F must return to base since it fired in air combat.

The two bypassing I-16s each engage a Ju 88A. There is the regular exchange of fire between the four air units resulting in one I-16 aborted and the other missed; and one Ju 88A returned and the other missed. The two bypassing I-16s, the returned Ju 88A, and the firing Me 109F all return to base at this time.

The rest of the Axis mission force, now consisting of one close escorting Me 109F and two Ju 88As, continues on its way towards its target hex.

D. Miscellaneous. Opportunity interceptions may be made only during the enemy player's air movement step; they may not be made during the interception or air return steps. Opportunity interceptions are treated for all purposes as air missions (Rule 20) and count against airbase capacity. Fighters making opportunity interceptions return to base during the interception return step.

The capacity of an airbase is the maximum number of opportunity interceptors that may fly from it during an air phase. For example, only three opportunity interceptors or regular interceptors may fly from a dot city, even if more than three non-phasing fighters are based there.

A fighter may make only one opportunity interception per air phase. It is not required to make any opportunity interception at all, and it need not make an opportunity interception against the first air unit or mission force that enters its patrol zone.

An air unit or mission force may be subjected to only one opportunity interception per hex entered; it may be subjected to an opportunity interception in each hex it enters in enemy patrol zones. Within the above restrictions, it may be subjected to both opportunity and regular interceptions in the target hex.

Rule 20-Air Missions III

F. Bombing.

2. Tactical Bombing.

a. Airbases (change). Each hit affects the airbase and one air unit on the ground there.

A hit on the airbase decreases the capacity of the airbase by 1 RE. When the capacity of an airbase is reduced to 0, all further hits against the airbase are ignored. Mark each hit achieved on the airbase with a hit marker.

A hit on an air unit renders it inoperative if it is operative. A hit on an air unit eliminates it if it is already inoperative. If several air units are at the airbase, the bombing player chooses which air unit is hit.

d. Defensive Air Support (DAS). An air unit may aid friendly defending ground units. During the owning player's air movement step an air unit flying the DAS mission may move to a primary support hex, remaining there until the end of the next enemy ground movement phase. At that time the DAS unit may react as explained below. The primary support hex may be any hex; it need not contain friendly units. When flying to the primary support hex, an air unit flying this mission has its movement allowance reduced by 1 MP.

An air unit flying the DAS mission has a secondary support zone which consists of the six hexes adjacent to the primary support hex. Air units flying this mission may be intercepted by enemy fighters in either the primary support hex or any hex of the secondary support zone. All such intercepting fighters engage the DAS mission force in one combined air combat, as if all had intercepted the mission force in the primary support hex.

Example: Two Soviet bombers declare they are flying a DAS mission and move to hex 1B:1705, which is designated the primary support hex. The secondary support zone consists of the six adjacent hexes: 1B:1704, 1B:1804, 1B:18051- 1B:1706, 1B:1605, and 1B:1604. One German Me 109F intercepts this mission force in hex 1B:1805, while another intercepts it in hex 1B:1605. The ensuing air combat is resolved as if all the engaged air units occupied hex 1B:1705.

Friendly fighters providing close escort for DAS missions must fly to the primary support hex; they do not provide escort for the DAS mission from hexes of the secondary support zone.

After the enemy ground movement phase and as the first step of the enemy air phase, friendly air units on DAS may react. An air unit on DAS is not required to react, but if it does so (owning player's choice) it may adjust its position by moving from the primary support hex to one of the six hexes of the secondary support zone.

When there are multiple DAS units in a primary support hex, a choice is made by the owning player for each individual DAS unit as to if and to which hex it will react. Thus, different DAS units in the primary support hex may react by moving to different hexes of the secondary support zone, and some may react while others don't.

Example:Two Soviet bombers are in support hex 1B:1705 at the start of the enemy air phase. One of the bombers decides to react to hex 1B:1805, while the other decides to remain in the primary support hex.

During the enemy combat phase (only), ad'd the TBFs of all friendly air units on DAS in the hex to the total defense strength of the hex.

Special: TBFs from Soviet non-guards air units reacting to a hex in a secondary support zone are halved. DAS has no effect during overruns, which do not occur in the combat phase. Terrain does not affect the TBFs of air units on DAS. The total printed TBFs contributed by air units on DAS may not exceed the total printed defense strengths of the defending ground units; excess TBFs are ignored.

Prior to the resolution of ground combat, the attacking player may fire antiaircraft against the DAS air units in the hex per Rule 22B.

Air units flying DAS return to base at the end of the enemy combat phase.

Rule 21-Air Combat

b) Firing Step (change). When several air units are allocated against one air unit, the single air unit fires upon any one opposing air unit, firing player's choice. The several air units each fire upon the single air unit separately, in any order of the firing player's choice. However, stop firing when the first combat result (return, abort, or elimination) is achieved against the single air unit, even if all the air units haven't fired. Implement the combat results after the air units have stopped firing.

Example: Three interceptors attack one escort. The escort attacks one of the interceptors, achieving an eliminated result on it. The interceptors fire on the escort, one after the other. The first interceptor achieves no effect, but the second achieves an abort result. The exchange of fire is over at this point, before the third interceptor fires, and combat results are implemented. One interceptor is eliminated, and the escort is aborted.

Rule 22A3. Position AA Units (change).

Position AA points are not eliminated if required to retreat.

Rule 25 - Airborne Operations

A. Disruption (change).

On a disruption roll of -1 or less, the unit has its attack strength reduced to 0, has its defense strength halved, and is immediately eliminated if in an enemy-occupied hex.

E. Surprise (new).

Due to the immense surprise effects of airborne operations, airborne units are treated as being supported on the player turn they make air drops.

F. Supply Effects (change).

Airborne units that perform air drops do not immediately gain ownership of hexes they drop in or enter for enemy supply tracing purposes. Instead, they gain ownership of these hexes as follows: 1) In the following enemy initial phase if they can trace a supply line to a regular supply source, or 2) in the initial phase of the next friendly player turn (regardless of supply). Thus, a friendly supply line may be traced through hexes containing enemy airborne units that do not qualify for hex ownership.

Rule 28C2b. Amphibious Operations (change).

Cavalry, artillery, and c/m units may not make amphibious landings.. All non-marine units making an amphibious landing have their attack strengths quartered; all marine units have their attack strengths halved.

Rule 29 - Weather (clarification)

Weather affects the movement and combat effects of terrain, as shown on the Terrain Effects Chart. Note that there is an overall -2 combat modification for mud weather, in addition to the individual terrain effects for mud weather.

Rule 31A5. Velikaya River (new).

Treat the 1939 border along hexes 1B:1906 and 1B:2006 as a river.

Rule 38 - Advanced Rules

C2. Upgrading. The roads shown on the map are actually low-capacity railroads, and these may be upgraded to full railroad status. Any road hex within the playing area may be upgraded to railroad status.

A German RR engineer unit may upgrade a road to a railroad. It costs the unit 8 times the regauging MP cost to upgrade a road hex. For example, a RR engineer regiment would spend 8 MPs (eight times 1 MP) to upgrade a road hex to a railroad during clear weather, while a RR engineer brigade would spend 4 MPS (eight times 1/2 MP). It also costs one resource point to upgrade a road hex. The RR engineer must be in supply and trace an overland supply line to the resource point when it starts to upgrade the road hex, and the resource point is spent(removed from play) at that time.

Notes:

1) A hex containing both a road and a railroad must be upgraded in order for the road in the hex to become a railroad.

2) MPs may be accumulated from turn to turn when upgrading roads.

Only RR engineer units may upgrade roads to railroads. Construction units cannot upgrade roads or participate in - quick construction for an upgrade.

German RR engineer units always upgrade to standard gauge.

Note: Upgraded rail hexes are not counted for VP purposes.

Rule 39 - Optional Rules

D12. Incremental Construction of Temporary Airfields. When building a temporary airfield, a construction unit may build it incrementally:

• It may spend 2 MPs and build a temporary airfield with a capacity of 1. Place a temporary airfield marker in the hex and place two hits on it to show that its capacity is 1.
• It may spend 4 MPs and build a temporary airfield with a capacity of 2. Place a temporary airfield marker in the hex and place one hit on it to show that its capacity is 2.

Once built at a capacity of 1 or 2, the temporary airfield may be built up to its standard capacity of 3 through the standard airbase repair rules.

Rule 39M. Dedicated Air Missions (new).

The German player may declare some or all of his units flying bombing and transport missions to be flying dedicated air missions before AA fire is resolved against them. AA fire and mission resolution results are modified as follows:

An "R" result becomes an "A" result. Dedicated air units complete their mission before being affected by the result as follows:

• An air unit on a bombing mission has its bombing strengths halved.
• An air unit on a regular transport mission lands its cargo.
• An air unit on an air drop mission drops its cargo, which receives an additional -1 modifier to its disruption die roll.

An "A" result becomes a "K" result. Dedicated air units complete their mission before being affected by the result as follows:

• An air unit on a bombing mission has its bombing strengths halved.
• An air unit on a regular transport mission lands its cargo.
• An air unit on an air drop mission drops its cargo, which receives an additional -3 modifier to its disruption die roll.

Rule 39N. Auction Victory Bidding (new).

Before play begins, each player writes down a secret bid. The bids are then revealed simultaneously and the person bidding the highest total plays the Soviets. In addition, that bid becomes the maximum "drawn game" level. Victory levels progress from there in 17-point increments.

Example:

Before the game, player A bids 62 points and player B bids 57 points. Thus, player A becomes the Soviet player and the victory levels are adjusted to become:

Game Total Level of Victory
97 or more Soviet Strategic
80-96 Soviet Substantial
63-79 Soviet Marginal
46-62 Draw
29-45 German Marginal
12-28 German Substantial
11 or less German Strategic

Rule 39O. Soviet Fortified Zones (addition).

Add 1 Stalin Line fortified area to each of the following hexes during initial deployment: 1B:1002 and 1B:1906. Treat them the same as the other Stalin Line forts (Rules 31A5c and 31G).

OTHER NOTES

Air Units

Several air units have been re-rated in Balkan Front and First to Fight. These new ratings are incorporated in the Leningrad: 1941 orders of battle. Note: If you do wish to bother with this or do not have the necessary counters from those games, use the printed FitE/SE ratings and counters.

Grand Europa Charts and Tables

Use the following Grand Europa charts and tables as presented in TEM #18: Airbase Table, Ground Combat Results Table, Air Combat Results Table, Bombing Table, Antiaircraft Fire Table, Armor/ Antitank Effects Summary, Rail Movement Chart, and Terrain Effects Charts #1 and #3. Use those Scorched Earth charts and tables not modified by the above.

If the charts and tables mentioned above are not available, then use the corresponding ones from either Balkan Front or First to Fight.

Leningrad: 1941 An Europa Battle Scenario

Background and Rules
German Order of Battle
Soviet Order of Battle
"State of the Art" Rules
Designers' Notes
Charts (slow: 179K)